From Pathetic Loser To A Potent Legend

Chapter 007: Twin Package

Gilbert was taken aback, muttering to himself as he cursed his hasty decision. He didn’t seem too worried, though, because he still remembered the information on the note. Following the instructions wouldn’t be a problem.

“Is that all you came to ask, Mr. Hayes?” the cashier asked, noticing his silence.

“Yes, that’s all,” Gilbert replied, his mind drifting elsewhere.

After receiving confirmation, he returns to Megan’s ward, still in shock. It felt surreal, almost like a dream. Ms. Reed’s words echoed in his mind—the envelope would change his life. Did she mean paying off Megan’s bill?

Yet, expressing his relief proved difficult. The burden of his sister’s medical bills had been lifted, despite all his failed attempts to raise the money.

As soon as Gilbert entered the ward, he excitedly shared the news with Megan. “They cleared your bill! You’re going to be okay!”

Her eyes lit up. “Really? That’s amazing!” The joy in her expression matched his own as they celebrated the unexpected turn of events.

However, as night fell and the time to leave the hospital approached, he hesitated. Anger simmered within him at how his in-laws looked down on him, especially Vivienne. Their dismissive attitudes stung, and he couldn’t shake off his disappointment.

Gilbert decided to stay at the hospital for the night. It felt better to avoid the judgmental gazes and conversations he dreaded. He chose to remain by his sister’s side, at least for now. But he resolved to return home the next day, not just to face Vivienne, but also to change his clothes and prepare for work.

The following morning, Gilbert reluctantly leaves the hospital, departing from Megan’s side as he makes his way to the Astor family mansion.

Upon arriving, he spotted an unfamiliar BMW parked in the driveway, one he had seen before. It was the car used by Vivienne's new driver, Logan Mitchell, to take her to work. Panic surged through him; it meant she hadn’t left the house yet.

Not long after stepping inside the mansion, he saw Vivienne approach him with a fierce look on her face. Here we go again, he thought, bracing for another confrontation.

“Where were you last night?” she demanded, arms crossed tightly over her chest.

“Uh, I was at the hospital with my sister,” he replied, keeping his voice steady despite the tension.

“Oh really? You expect me to believe that? You just couldn’t face the humiliation at my father’s birthday party, could you? So you decided to hide away instead.”

“No, that’s not true! I’m not avoiding you or anyone else. I was genuinely concerned about Megan. You should know that,” he said, hesitating to mention the bill.

Vivienne leaned closer, narrowing her eyes. "Right. Because that makes total sense. A little family drama, and suddenly you disappear? Classic.”

She fixed him with a piercing gaze and added, “Did you even bother to inform me before you left?”

Gilbert took a sharp breath. “Of course, I sent you a text around 6 PM yesterday.”

“I didn’t see anything,” she shot back, disbelief etched on her face.

“I swear I sent it. Maybe it didn’t go through.”

Vivienne shook her head, irritation washing over her. “You always have an excuse, don’t you? You could’ve at least called me.”

“I was at the hospital, Viv. Megan needed me there. You should understand what I’ve been dealing with.”

Vivienne's expression hardened, her voice dripping with accusation. “You have an ulterior motive, don’t you? You left the party early, well before 6 PM, and then sent me a message. If you really wanted to visit your sister, you should have informed me beforehand.”

Feeling unsteady, Gilbert realized her words undermined his defense. “I didn’t think it mattered,” he muttered, frustration creeping in.

“It matters, Gilbert. You just decided to leave without a word? That’s considerate of me?”

Then, in a surprising move, she pulled out her phone and displayed a photo. “Who’s this?” she demanded, her voice rising. The image showed Gilbert talking with a young woman, Callie Reed, who had handed him an envelope.

Gilbert’s shoulders dropped in surprise. “Uh, it’s nothing,” he replied, avoiding her gaze.

“Nothing, right?” she said coldly.

Vivienne fumed, her voice trailing with disdain, “Is this woman nothing to you? Did you cheat on me with her? Did you spend last night with her to get money for your sister’s health bill? Tell me, now!”

Each question pierced him, leaving him speechless. The implications were unbearable.

“Gilbert,” she pressed further, her voice cutting through the silence, “tell me the truth! Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”

Still overwhelmed, he denied the accusation, “I swear it’s not what you think. I was at the hospital for Megan. That’s all—”

“Spare me the excuses!” she interrupted, anguish and anger lacing her voice.

“You’ve shown your true colors, you pathetic loser!” Just as she finished, Vivienne’s mother, Jocelyn, entered the scene.

Immediately, Gilbert's heart raced with fear as he saw her, knowing she would join his wife in criticizing him, fueling the escalation.

But as she walked into their midst, she turned to Vivienne with a hint of dissatisfaction and affection. “Darling, you don’t have to argue with Mr. Hayes. Come on, let’s get everything settled.”

Hearing this, Gilbert sighed deeply, clearly surprised by his mother-in-law's attitude. She had never acted like this before and was rarely supportive of him. This left him astonished, hoping this would be the opportunity to finally resolve everything with his wife.

As they were expected to sit, Jocelyn quickly placed a file folder on the table. Spreading the papers, Gilbert felt a wave of confusion wash over him; he hadn’t anticipated this. Jocelyn had said she wanted to settle things between them, not bring out papers.

Silent and uncertain, he watched, trying to figure out what would happen.

“Place your finger on the ink pad,” Jocelyn instructed, her tone brisk.

Gilbert challenged her, disbelief etching into his expression. “Uh….why should I do that?”

“Are you trying to disobey me?” Jocelyn scolded, her voice sharp. “Just do it.”

Reluctance crept in, but he noticed her gaze piercing through his hesitation. “What’s this all about, ma?”

“Sign the papers, and the Astor family will take care of your sister's medical bills and build your own business,” she explained, revealing the documents.

As Gilbert skimmed through the papers, he shook his head, refusing. “I don’t need support for my sister's medical bills anymore. I’ve found an alternative.”

However, as he read further, the realization hit him that the second offer could be beneficial. Hesitant, he added, “But… I’d appreciate the other offer.”

Vivienne’s outrage erupted. “What do you mean you don’t need it? Are you serious?” Her voice was incredulous, laced with disdain. “You think you can just turn down help? You cheated on me with that lady, and you expect me to believe you’re handling everything? We both know you’ll never make that kind of money working your menial job!”

Gilbert stuttered, trying to divert the conversation. “I just… I can’t tell you how I got the money,” he muttered, the pressure mounting.

“Enough!” Jocelyn interjected, her voice cutting through the tension. She swiftly replaced the paper she’d given Gilbert with another. “Let’s focus on signing, shall we? Gilbert, concentrate.”

Oblivious to the switch, Gilbert placed his finger on the ink pad and then pressed it onto the two sets of duplicate documents. Despite the reluctance tugging at him, he sighed and penned his signature across both pages, urgency pushing him forward. He didn’t fully understand what he was signing, but the pressure from Jocelyn weighed on him.

“Perfect!” Jocelyn chuckled, a hint of excitement in her voice. “Finally, some progress. Though I must say, your lifestyle could use some work.”

Just then, the room fell silent as Jocelyn leaned forward, her voice dripping with smug satisfaction. "Congratulations, Gilbert. You just signed the divorce papers."

Gilbert's heart skipped a beat. “What? No!” He hollered, anger flaring as he snatched a document and tore it to pieces in a flash.

Jocelyn's temper erupted. “You little bastard! How dare you?” She slapped him, fury etched on her face.

“Look at you, trash,” she sneered, gesturing to her lawyer, who stood nearby. “I have another copy, you know.”

Gilbert glanced at the documents with the lawyer, feeling helpless as he held his cheek in pain.

After Jocelyn walked away, Vivienne chimed in, her tone venomous. “You just disrespected my mother and tore up important papers! What’s wrong with you?”

For the first time, Gilbert didn’t stay silent. “I won’t accept our divorce! I’ll pay you all back,” he vowed, his voice steady.

Just then, Logan Mitchell walked in with authority, a smug grin plastered across his face. “You’re a useless bum, Gilbert,” he poked fun at him. “You think you’re so tough?”

Gilbert’s anger flared as he realized the truth. “So, you’ve been cheating on me with him? He’s just your driver?”

Logan stepped closer, his hand clasping Vivienne’s. He leaned down, planting a kiss on her forehead. “You don’t get to talk back to my sweetheart,” he warned, his tone low and threatening.

Feeling trapped, Gilbert knew this was a setup, a cruel trick designed to devastate him.

Gilbert’s fury surged when he saw Logan kiss Vivienne’s forehead. Him? Kissing his wife? The audacity gnawed at him, burning through his restraint. He stepped closer to Logan, his fists clenched.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Gilbert spat, his voice low and menacing. “Aren’t you just some pretty boy driver? You think you can just walk in here and do that?”

Logan didn’t flinch. Instead, a smug grin stretched across his face. “You think I’m just a driver? I’m the heir to the Mitchell family—worth billions. And what are you? An orphan, working a dead-end warehouse job? What have you ever achieved, Gilbert? Serving in the Air Force? What’s that gotten you?” Logan’s eyes narrowed as he gestured at Gilbert's calloused hands. “Look at you—your hands like sandpaper, all from working that pathetic job. You’re nothing compared to me.”

Gilbert’s jaw tightened as he glared at Logan, seething inside. He felt Vivienne’s eyes on him, watching, judging.

Vivienne sneered, stepping closer to Logan. “He’s right, Gilbert. You stink—your sweat, your clothes—everything about you smells like failure.”

Logan chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment. “And you know what else? I tried to save you, gave you a way out of that dump you call a job.”

Gilbert's eyes flickered with confusion. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Logan crossed his arms, leaning back smugly. “That agreement you signed? You just locked yourself into working for my company for the next ten years. $4,000 a month—way better than that warehouse crap you’ve been slaving over. But here’s the kicker: you can’t back out. If you quit before the ten years are up, you’ll owe me a fortune.”

The realization hit Gilbert like a punch to the gut. He stared at Logan, rage and disbelief twisting inside him. “You’ve got to be kidding me…”

“No joke,” Logan replied, his voice dripping with satisfaction. “I’m your boss now. You should be thanking me for giving you a better life. That’s my reward for divorcing Vivienne. Now she’s mine.”

Vivienne’s voice cut in sharply. “You heard him, Gilbert. Now get out of my house. You’ve overstayed your welcome.”

Gilbert’s blood boiled, but he held himself together. “I’m getting my stuff, then I’m out.”

She snorted, her voice icy. “What stuff? You don’t own anything here. Everything you’ve ever touched in this house was given to you. So don’t think you have anything to take with you.”

Her words hit like a slap, and as Gilbert stood there, his mind raced. His fists clenched at his sides, and for a moment, he considered fighting back, physically or otherwise. But deep down, he knew he was outnumbered, set up from the start.

“You think this is the end for me?” Gilbert asked, his voice steady despite the anger raging inside him. “You can’t break me.”

Vivienne smirked, her eyes cold. “Watch me.”

Without another word, she turned her back on him, leaving Gilbert standing there in disbelief.

“Now get out,” Logan added with a mocking grin, still holding Vivienne’s hand, as if to further rub it in.

Gilbert, his heart heavy but his resolve steeling, turned on his heel and walked out the door.

“Mr. Hayes!” Logan’s voice rang out, smug as ever.

Gilbert stopped, turning back with a glare that burned with frustration and rage.

Logan held out a business card between two fingers, like it was some gift. “Just a reminder,” he smirked. “You’re resuming work next week.”

For a second, Gilbert’s fists clenched, and he considered leaving it there, refusing to acknowledge Logan’s taunt. But a bitter realization hit him—if he didn’t take it, Logan and the Astor family could drag him through legal hell in the future. Reluctantly, he snatched the card from Logan’s hand, hating every second of it.

As Gilbert turned to leave again, Vivienne’s voice cut through the air, dripping with sarcasm. “Thanks for cooperating and getting everything settled. Oh, and thanks for the kidney you donated.”

Gilbert didn’t respond. He simply walked away, his grip tightening around the card, knowing that while they thought they’d won, this fight was far from over.